The present invention relates to a device for the evacuation of elevator passengers who are trapped in an elevator car stuck in an elevator hoistway, the elevator car being movable to the next floor by releasing the brake of the elevator drive.
The German utility model DE 296 15 921 U1 shows a device by which elevator passengers can be evacuated in an emergency. The device is intended for elevator installations with no machine room that have the drive unit arranged in the hoistway. If the elevator car becomes stuck in the hoistway, the brake is released manually and the elevator car is driven to the next floor, on which floor the elevator passengers can leave the elevator car safely. Actuation of the brake is by means of a Bowden cable from the landing of the floor on which the elevator control is also located. Moving the elevator car for the evacuation is done without a power supply to the elevator installation by using the difference in weight between the loaded elevator car and the counterweight. A battery is only provided to supply power to a signal device that indicates that the elevator car is at the evacuation floor.
A disadvantage of this known device is that the person operating the brake must observe the movement of the elevator car by seeing the movement of the overspeed governor rope, or by seeing the movement of the suspension ropes. To monitor the speed of the elevator car by means of the moving ropes requires great experience and attention, and cannot be expected of inexperienced persons.
The present invention concerns an apparatus for avoiding the disadvantages of the known device, and creating a device by means of which persons trapped in an elevator car can be evacuated safely.
The advantages achieved by the present invention include that the evacuation of trapped elevator passengers can also be carried out by inexperienced persons. The signal device according to the present invention monitors the movement of the elevator car, and indicates to the person performing the evacuation both normal and abnormal operating statuses visually and acoustically. With the signal device according to the present invention, evacuation is simple and safe even for inexperienced persons. There is no need for an observation window arranged in the hoistway wall to make it possible to see into the hoistway and, in particular, to see the elevator drive and the ropes.